Medicaid

The architect of Oregon’s Medicaid reform says rather than cutting Medicaid, the federal government should reform it like Oregon did.

Without legislative action, taxes that fund Medicaid will sunset in the next two years, leaving a hole in the state’s budget.

U.S. Rep. Cliff Bentz, R-Oregon, said Wednesday that the nation’s spending on Medicaid programs is unsustainable, and he urged patience as Republicans in Congress formulate their plan to dramatically reduce spending on the health care program.

Oregon Republican Rep. Cliff Bentz told OPB's Dave Miller that he supports President Donald Trump's cost-cutting measures, and discussed potential cuts to federal health care benefits

Last month, President Trump signed an executive order directing federally run insurance programs, including Medicaid and TRICARE for military families, to drop coverage for gender-affirming care. Last week, Oregon’s attorney general joined a lawsuit with Washington State and Minnesota against the Trump administration over that order, which also seeks to cut off federal funding from institutions that provide hormone therapy, puberty blockers and surgical treatment for people under 19. The state’s largest Medicaid provider, CareOregon, covers medically-necessary, transition-related health care, which is currently required under state law. Eric Hunter, President and CEO of CareOregon, joins us to discuss how the health insurer is responding to the demands of the federal government.

Oregon’s hospitals are lobbying to renew a tax on themselves, and on health insurance plans, that the state uses to shore up funding for the Oregon Health Plan.

Oregon, California, New Mexico and Arizona now allow government-run insurance programs to cover Native American healing practices.

A new program for Oregonians on Medicaid will provide up to six months in rental assistance in certain situations, like medical emergencies.

The automated parts of the state’s benefit system, which help the state validate things like a person’s income and residency, are working well. But its manual data entry requirements remain a point of weakness.

The state is the third nationwide to expand coverage to people who earn more than limits set by the federal government.